Jenni Hendriks

vergreen Bk Award nominee 2022. Cam Webber has been working hard to be in on every environmental cause, every march, every social justice issue campaign - esp if it means he gets to be near beautiful Kaia Gonzales, fellow student at his high school who not only runs the yearbook, but serves in student council, prom committee, debate society, feminist causes, etc. Unable to get up the nerve to ask her out, he finds out she's now dating the high school's "Mr. Popular" party guy, Steve Stevenson. In spite of enjoying humiliating pranks, and mocking environmental efforts, he's a real jerk in Cam's eyes. And then Steve gets cancer. So "when Kaia wants to find a way to help Steve, Cam offers to organize the biggest fundraising campaign he's ever undertaken-- SaveSteve.org. Maybe then Kaia will finally see Cam as the perfect guy for her. It seems like a fail-proof plan, but Cam's underestimated one thing...Steve's no fool. To stop Cam from stealing his girlfriend, Steve's going to do whatever it takes to make Cam's life as miserable as his own." (front flap). Hilarious scenes emerge when Steve slyly requires his "friend" Cam to commit to more & more ridiculous & humiliating "stunts, in order to raise the $$... although Cam bleakly hopes he'll be seen as altruistic and brave in Kaia's eyes. Last chapters turn more serious as Cam realizes there's more to Kaia then he knew, and more to Steve as well; Cam does some despondent soul searching, tries to save Steve from throwing himself into the local sea world park's shark tank, & tries to come clean with Kaia in the midst of their school prom. Each of three characters have sort of climactic "coming clean" moments -- over the top, but still a fun romp with some realistic insights into teenagers' desperate efforts to figure out how to be genuine & truly see themselves.… (mehr)